Now that the summer is upon us, I have reclaimed my weekends for cooking and excessive nap time! Hooray! I am full of new recipes and kitchen ideas, so let's get started! Having been raised and fed in Georgia, I enjoyed my share of crispy, fried deliciousness that makes the mouth sing praises unto the bubbling oil. Yes, frying (especially frying meat) is definitely an art that until recently, I had not mastered.
Watching my mother drop a piece of breaded tilapia or chicken into a hot pan and jump four feet away from the scalding, airborne oil was not a treasured sight for me as a child. Humorous, but certainly not treasured. I am ashamed to say that my role in helping my mother fry food ended shortly after breading the meat.
Fortunately, those dark days are over! Motivated by some good-natured teasing from friends and family, I have finally dared to fry my first piece of meat! Though I will never be able to add this particular skill to a resume (if I can, then my career plans have taken an awkward turn Oo), I am delighted to share my simple, but flavorful, panko fried chicken recipe with you all.
WHAT YOU NEED
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 cups panko bread crumbs (I prefer honey infused panko)
Crushed red pepper to taste
Salt to taste
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
Olive oil
Heat oil in frying pan on medium heat. In a large bowl, combine, panko, lemon pepper, rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Taste your seasoned panko before adding salt as some prepared lemon pepper mixtures tend to be on the salty side. In a small bowl, crack and lightly beat your eggs with milk.
Dredge your chicken breasts with the egg and coat them in the seasoned panko. For a crispier (and therefore, more delicious) crust, coat the chicken in the egg mixture and seasoned panko one more time before frying.
Now the fun part! Gently place your chicken breasts in the pan and step far away from the popping oil. Cook your chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side (or until golden brown and no longer pink on the inside).
Remove crispy chicken to a plate coated in paper towels and allow the paper towels to soak up the excess oil. You'll be left with bright, aromatic, crispy, juicy chicken! Delicious over pasta or salad. Serve and thoroughly enjoy!
What else is on the plate, you ask? A bed of lemon-mushroom pasta with basil and romano cheese served with a salad of chopped tricolor peppers dressed in a little olive oil and red wine vinegar. Garnished with a big, beautiful, basil leaf.
